Personal Data

Paul Griffiths ia almost certainly the brother of Elijah Griffiths killed in action on 6th April 1916. On the 1901 & 1911 census there is only one Paul Griffiths in Tipton, the brother of Elijah.

Action resulting in his death

4th October was the Battle of Broodseinde, the third of Plumer's 'limited objective' offensives aiming to complete the capture the Gheluvelt Plateau and the occupation the Broodseide Ridge. The 1st South Staffs Regiment was east of Polygon Wood, which itself was east of Ypres, Belgium. They were to mount an attack whose objective was a level stretch of countryside consisting mostly of shellholes and pillboxes. The importance of gaining this ground was that it would protect the right flank of the Australians who were to attack the 'Broodseinde' position.

The attack commenced at 6am and progressed steadily according to the timetable; the right flank of the attack came under considerable machine gun fire and suffered many casualties. The South Staffs War Diary records that "a large number of Germans were shot and bayonetted; none of the pillboxes encountered gave much trouble."

The Battalion advanced 900 yards over a frontage of 450 yards capturing 'Jolting House Trench'. An estimated 150 Germans were killed and 80-100 prisoners were taken. The South Staffords casualties were 3 officers killed and seven wounded and 36 men killed and 223 wounded.

During this action two men of Tipton were killed, Privates Paul Griffiths and Thomas Gulliver. Neither has a known grave, and are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Paul Underhill